Monday, November 25, 2002

"NO-NUKE: Researchers show solid-state Geiger counter costing $10"
Professor Douglas McGregor at Kansas State University discusses his gallium arsenide diodes that are being used to build real-time nuclear-radiation detectors that promise to be as small and cheap as today's non-real-time "dosimeter" badges. The button-size single-chip detectors will give on-the-spot readings of radiation levels, as Geiger counters do, but without the Geiger counters' expense and heft. In the current version, a round gallium arsenide sensor chip outputs a pulse for every 13th radioactive particle it encounters. A model on the drawing board would sense every fifth thermal neutron and cost roughly $10.

Thursday, November 07, 2002

"QUANTUM: securing high-speed data streams with quantum encryption"
Northwestern professors Prem Kumar and Horace Yuen demonstrate a quantum encryption system that encodes entire high-speed data streams and could potentially encrypt data sent at Internet backbones speeds. The approach ups-the-ante for secure networks by using quantum codes to encrypt the signal transmitted down the Internet's optical fiber backbone rather than just using quantum logic to secure the encryption key.

Tuesday, November 05, 2002

"QUANTUM: Magiq employs quantum technology for secure encryption"
Alexei Trifonov, vice president of research and development at Magiq Technologies Inc. describes a quantum information processing technique for uncrackable encryption of communication lines, slated for delivery early next year. The fiber-optic link updates its encryption key, encoded as quantum bits (qubits), every second and cannot be eavesdropped on without the receiver knowing.

Monday, November 04, 2002

"MEMS: Radioactive isotopes fuel microscopic battery "
Cornell professor Amit Lal uses radioactive isotopes as fuel for a tiny battery developed that could turn out to be an ideal power source for remote sensors or other small-scale systems. Microelectromechanical-systems (MEMS) technology creates a millimeter-size battery that can run for decades. The research team plans to scale the prototype to even smaller dimensions so that it could become a power source for MEMS sensors.

By R. Colin Johnson

Lastest Book:

Cognitive computers—cognizers—aim to instill human-like intelligence into our smartphones, tablets and other electronic devices using microchips that emulate the human brain. Dubbed the “Future of Computing” by the NYTimes, one of the “Best Innovation Moments of 2011” by the Washington Post and one of “10 World Changing Ideas” in a Scientific American cover story “A Computer Chip that Thinks” this book reveals how neuroscience and computer science are merging in a new era of intelligent machines light-years beyond Apple's Siri, IBM's Watson.

About the Author:

Next-generation electronics and technology news stories published non-stop for 20+ years, R. Colin Johnson's unique perspective has prompted coverage of his articles in a diverse range of major media outlets--from the ultra-liberal National Public Radio (NPR) to the ultra-conservative Rush Limbaugh Show.